An ODBCdata source lets a FileMaker file access data from external ODBC tables. You can view and update ODBC tables interactively in the relationships graph in much the same way you view and update FileMaker tables.

Tip To identify whether a table in the relationships graph is a FileMaker table or from an ODBC data source, move the pointer over the arrow in the table header. You might want to add a color to ODBC tables in order to identify them more easily.

On the Auto-Enter tab, you can auto-enter serial numbers when you create records, but not when you commit records. (The external database controls how records are committed.) When a lookup is to related data in an ODBC data source, copy next lower value and copy next higher value are disabled.

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On the Validation tab, Unique value and Existing value are disabled. The Maximum number of characters allowed in a field is determined by the external data source.

When FileMaker Server hosts databases linked to ODBC data sources, FileMaker clients do not need to set up a DSN to access the external data source. However, the DSN must be set up on the machine running FileMaker Server.

Microsoft SQL Server: By default, DATETIME, DATETIME2, and SMALLDATETIME data from ODBC tables is imported as the timestamp field type. You can change the field type of a timestamp shadow field to either date or time, but the data must be structured in a specific manner. If the imported ODBC table contains timestamp data and you treat the timestamp field as a date field, the time portion must equal 12:00 AM (or midnight) for all records in the table. Likewise, if you import an ODBC table that contains timestamp data and you treat the timestamp field as a time field, the date portion must equal 1900-01-01 (or January 1, 1900) for all records in the table.